Languages Identification Guide Hardcover – January 1, 1970 by R S Gilyarevsky (Author), V S Grivnin (Author), Lev Navrosov (Translator)

Key Points:

• Purpose: The book is designed to help readers identify languages they don't understand, based on visual characteristics of the written language.
• Target Audience: Librarians, bibliographers, journalists, editors, booksellers, and anyone working with printed materials in multiple languages.
• Methodology: The guide focuses on identifying languages through "external signs" or "graphic characteristics" of their written forms. This includes recognizing unique alphabets, special letters, diacritical marks, and auxiliary words.
• Scope: The guide covers over 200 languages, including ancient languages that influenced modern alphabets.
• Structure: The book is divided into three parts:
  • Languages of the Soviet Union
  • Languages of other countries (further divided by continent)
  • International artificial languages
• Rationale: The preface acknowledges the growing volume of publications in diverse languages and the need for a practical tool to navigate this linguistic variety.

Implications:

• Practical Utility: The guide fills a practical need for professionals who deal with a wide range of printed materials.
• Linguistic Diversity: The book reflects the authors' awareness of the vast linguistic diversity of the world, including both living and historical languages.
• Soviet Context: The inclusion of a section on languages of the Soviet Union highlights the book's publication within the Soviet Union and its relevance to the specific linguistic landscape of that time.
• Accessibility: The guide aims to make language identification accessible to a broad audience, not just linguists.